Quidditch Finals
by Angel of now
Summary: Harry has a Quidditch accident and can't play again. Other big stuff: read and find out!!!
1. Be that way

Quidditch Finals  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, Harry Potter characters, Harry Potter objects, Harry Potter actions, Harry Potter ideas, yadda yadda. Anything you recognize here belongs to her highness J.K. Rowling so don't sue. Pretty please?  
  
Chapter one: Be that way  
  
"Ron, eat your breakfast. You can't fly on an empty stomach."  
  
"I should call you a hypocrite, but I'm too nice."  
  
Harry Potter, 16-year-old captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, tried to get his best friend, Ron Weasley, Beater, to eat. His utensils, however, remained clean. It was June. Gryffindor, in second place for the Quidditch cup, was playing Hufflepuff for it. If they won, it would be their third win in a row, if you didn't could the year that nobody played. This was Harry's second year as Captain. Gryffindor's team had nearly completely changed. Only Harry and Katie Bell remained from the old team. Katie, Ginny Weasley, Ron's sister, and a third year named Penny Marvin were Chasers, Alicia Spinnet and Angelina Johnson having graduated. Ron and Seamus Finnigan were Beaters. Fred and George Weasley, Ron's twin brothers and previous Beaters had opened up their joke shop, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Harry was still Seeker, and Jacob Edwards, a fourth year, was Keeper.  
  
"Too nice? Since when have you been too nice?" demanded Harry teasingly.  
  
Their friend Hermione Granger came over. "Since Malfoy kissed Lavender."  
  
The boys snorted. But something about her tone made Ron ask,  
  
"When was that?"  
  
Hermione had a pained expression. "Two nights ago."  
  
They dropped their pumpkin juice. Harry looked over at the Slytherin table and saw Draco Malfoy glancing over and the Gryffindor table and winking at Lavender Brown.  
  
"Vachement," muttered Ron. "Something new to worry about. Wonder what she sees in him?"  
  
Hermione chuckled grimly. "Probably foresaw it ..."  
  
Harry glanced at his watch. No time to worry about it. "Quidditch time, c'mon, Ron, Ginny, team; let's go." They marched on to the field.  
  
  
  
Next chapter will be better. I have great ideas but still need to work out the details. Expect Chapter 2 8/27 or 27/8. Need chapter name ideas!!! 


	2. Reunion

Hey, fanfickers. Yes, I know the last chapter wasn't very good. But it'll get better.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, Harry Potter characters, Harry Potter objects, Harry Potter actions, Harry Potter ideas, yadda yadda. Anything you recognize here belongs to her highness J.K. Rowling so don't sue. Pretty please?  
  
Chapter 2: Reunion  
  
"Ron dear! Harry, Hermione, how are you?" They were enthusiasticly by the Weasleys. Chubby Mrs. Weasley gave them all hugs, tall Mr. Weasley slapped Ron on the back, Percy cordially shook their hands. Harry was very happy to see they wore new robes.  
  
"Where's Fred and George?" Ron asked his father.  
  
"Couldn't get away. Their buisness is thriving." Harry couldn't help notice a faint annoyed tone in Mr. Weasley's voice. He had wanted his sons to work for the Ministry of Magic, but the twins had had other plans. "They make 25 galleons a day. They give five to us, so we could get new robes and things."  
  
"Yes, they wanted to give 10 a day, but we wouldn't have it," Mrs. Weasley put in. "We don't know whether they're trying to bribe us or not."  
  
"And Bill and Charlie?" Hermione wanted to know.  
  
"Busy as well. Goodness knows *I* shouldn't have been able to get away, but Candance Clearwater, Penny's sister, is covering for me. Our office is quite busy; some Frenchmen have been selling Invisible Steel tipped quills, what a hazard, and we have been trying--"  
  
"Yes, and speaking of Bill," broke in Mr. Weasley, before Percy could get too carried away. Ron, did you hear? He's getting married! On Halloween!"  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"He's engaged to Korina Figg, Arabella Figg's adopted German daughter. The wedding is in Wizard London, at St. George Chapel on Maniac Alley. I believe Mrs. Figg lives near you, Harry, so Bill may be dropping by once in a while. And you two are invited, of course." Harry was unspeakably happy. Visits from Bill? Maybe his summers wouldn't be TOO bad.  
  
"Well, congratulations to him!" cried Hermione.  
  
A whistle blew sharply. Harry and Ron scurried off to the locker rooms to change and give a pep talk.  
  
"Alright, team," began Harry. "As you know, we need this game to win the Quidditch cup. If we tie ("Unlikely," whispered Seamus to Ron. "With Harry as Seeker.") we will lose the cup, since Hufflepuff is in first place for it. So just do your best and we won't have a problem! Beaters, try the Bludger Backbeat; you're good at it, and I don't think Hufflepuff knows any of our moves. Chasers, the Hawkshead Attacking Formation will do well for you, and Huff's Chasers like Parkin's Pincer, so the Porskoff Ploy will do well there. (A.N: For the definition of these moves, get Quidditch Through the Ages bye Kennilworthy Whisp (it actually exists!).) Jacob, you excel with the Double Eight Loop, you should use it."  
  
"Woof!" replied Jacob. (A.N: Jacob is the name of my dog.)  
  
"Alright!" shouted Ron and Seamus.  
  
"C'mon, let's get 'em!!" cried Penny Marvin.  
  
"Go team!" yelled Harry, and running and shouting, brooms under arms, they raced onto the field.  
  
  
  
Thanks for your comments! Keep reviewing, give me ideas, flame me if you want, but if you do, tell me WHAT'S bad, so I can fix it. Special thanks to Catie S, Aeslech, Dizzy_Grl, vmr, and my lubable puppy dog Jacob Milton Edwards. 


	3. Wronski Feint

Welcome, to the big, important, plotty chapter!! Here comes big stuff:  
  
Chapter Three: Wronski Feint  
  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, Harry Potter characters, Harry Potter stuff; anything here you recognize belongs to J.K. Rowling or (sniff) Warner Bros. Except my dog, Jacob.  
  
  
  
Harry and his team marched proudly onto the field, brooms in hand, the reserve players trailing behind them.  
  
"And now, Gryffindor team, in second place!" The crowds erupted. Harry recognized that voice. He saw the Weasleys waving proudly at him from the stands, waving little scarlet flags. "Sixth year captain Harry Potter, leading an almost totally remodeled team! Including two more Weasleys, and a keeper that looks a little hairy . . ." Harry now remembered who that voice belonged to. It was Lee Jordan, returning to commentate on the last match. "Harry Potter, seeker and two-year Captain, is considered to be one of the best Captains Hogwarts has seen, up there with Oliver Wood! And speaking of Wood, he's back —"  
  
"Harry! How's it going?"  
  
Harry spun around. Oliver Wood was jogging up to him, dressed in the striped referee's robes, and carrying a broom and a silver whistle. (Lee Jordan went on: "Oh, yeah . . . here are the Hufflepuffs, led by Sally-Ann Perks. Harry Potter's team also consists of . . . ")  
  
"Oliver! What ARE you doing here?"  
  
"I'm refereeing, Harry! And I'm Flying Master next year, too! Madam Hooch retired. I believe her exact reasons were, 'Students flying too high, and acting up all the time! In my generation, children listened to their elders!' I think her generation was about eighty years ago."  
  
Harry had to laugh, but asked sternly, "You won't be too pro-Gryffindor, will you?"  
  
"Not a chance in Muggle London. Dumbledore gave this huge talk —"  
  
"OLIVER!" screeched Katie Bell, dashing over and gripping Wood in a giant's hug. "Where have you been?!" He struggled to make her let go.  
  
"Well, I played for the Chudley Cannons for a while, then decided it was too hopeless a case. Ron glared at him. Harry noticed the Hufflepuffs' impatient glares, and pointed it out to Wood. He nodded, then blew his whistle shrilly.  
  
"All right team, let's win this Cup! We can do it!" Harry leapt onto his broom, and the others followed suit.  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
"Let's get 'em!"  
  
"Yahoo!"  
  
"Woof!"  
  
The game went smoothly. Gryffindor gained the lead early on, Katie scoring the most goals, being the most senior Chaser. Only three goals got through Jacob, two of them penalty shots. Harry and Sally-Ann Perks (on a Nimbus 1700) spotted the Snitch at the same moment twice, and Harry bumped her both times and gave the Hufflepuffs the penalty shots. (Sally-Ann was a ex-friend of Cho's, who, after Harry and Cho brief dating period, had convinced her to dump him.) The Gryffindor's noticed that the penalty whistle blasts always came a little late, as Wood was unwilling to the Hufflepuffs extra shots. Though, good as he was, Jacob couldn't beat their prime Chaser, but it hardly mattered. Right before the end of the game, Gryffidor was in the lead, 140-30.  
  
Harry saw the Snitch, glittering at the end of the field where Sally-Ann was. She hadn't noticed it, though; she was aiding one of her teammates who had gotten mauled by a Bludger. While she was taken to Madam Pomfrey and a reserve Beater came on, Harry decided to once again make history. He would be the first Hogwarts student to perform the Wronski Feint.  
  
He zipped around a little, to catch the opposing Seeker's attention, swooped and DOVE. Sally-Ann hurtled after him, matched his angle (Harry was going slower than he could have, so she could catch up), and neck in neck they plumeted, Harry's broom going one way and his stomach the other.  
  
Fifty-forty-thirty feet, twenty - ~PULL UP NOW!!~ Harry screeched at himself. He got his broom handle up, then   
  
WHAM! CRACK!  
  
Sally-Ann had realized what Harry was doing, and pushed off of him, sending him faster than ever the the ground, where he now lay, his head at a strange angle. 


	4. Infirmary

Quidditch Finals  
  
A/N: First chapter was WHERE. Second chapter was WHO. Third chapter was WHAT. This chapter is HOW. This is the longest chapter so far, and the one which no one expected.  
  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, Harry Potter characters, Harry Potter objects, Harry Potter actions, Harry Potter ideas, yadda yadda. Anything you recognize here belongs to her highness J.K. Rowling so don't sue. Pretty please?  
  
  
Chapter 4: Infirmary  
  
  
Harry woke up, feeling nauseous. All he could see was white. He waited for it to clear up, but he fell asleep before it did.  
  
A few hours later, he woke up again, in a different bed in the hospital wing. Slowly he turned his head, and saw another bed shrouded in a white mist -- apparently what he had been in before. Harry could barely move his arms and head, and his legs not at all.  
  
Madam Pomfrey bustled over. "Sleep, sleep! You need your rest." Harry saw a small glint of worry in her eyes, and was instantly terrified. Through all of his strange injuries, she had been her busy, impersonal self. If she was even slightly worried, Harry must have very little hope. But for having small chances, he felt alright. Just -- deadened, floaty, dull: not quite there. Harry relaxed a little.  
  
Madam Pomfrey waved a flower under his nose. He started to fall asleep. "Wait!" he cried. "What happened to me?"  
  
"You broke your back, neck, and leg. You'll be alright." But Harry noticed she said that rather half-heartedly. He fell asleep.  
  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
  
Talk filtered through the halls. Tension had flooded people's minds like a river after a rainstorm. Students whispered in the dormitories, hallways, and classrooms: "Harry Potter?" "He broke his neck!" "Again?" "No, not again! He's NEVER been hurt this bad!"  
  
The Slytherins were beside themselves with glee. Draco Malfoy was telling anyone who'd listen (just Pansy Parkinson) that he knew that Harry Potter would eventually come to this. (Parvati had broken up with him when the jerk started laughing about how Harry looked, lying on the ground.)  
  
The whole school was buzzing. Famous Harry Potter -- crippled.  
  
Famous Harry Potter lay in the hospital wing, day after day. Madam Pomfrey tried potion after potion, she tried spell after spell, trying, to no avail, to fix his back. She had struggled to mend his neck while he was unconscious, and the leg was easy, but Harry back just wouldn't heal. Pretty soon Harry lost hope. He thought he would never move his legs again. But his nurse would not give up that easily.  
  
Everyone Harry knew visited him twice a week, often more. Hermione and Ron saw him twice a day, and they would have come more often, but Madam Pomfrey would not have it. "How can you expect this boy to heal if he can rest? Now, OUT!"  
  
Over Harry's month's imprisonment in the hospital wing, Ron and Hermione became quite close. Worried, friendly meetings in Hogsmeade turned into romantic dates. Harry knew nothing of this.  
  
McGonagal announced in class that there was another Hogsmeade trip coming up. "And I hope you all have successfully transfigured a stone into an ice creme cone before you go! This will count in your exams! Dean Thomas, see me after class. Your cone is rock solid and would break the teeth of any person foolish enough to try and eat it."  
  
Hermione had no intention of going, of course. Her ice cream cone had a small chip, and she needed to fix it. But Ron met her outside the classroom, and kissed her lightly on the cheek, and she just dissolved.  
  
"Are you going to Hogsmeade, Hermione?" he asked. He smiled. How she loved that smile! It was the same as the cocky grin, but somehow the wild-haired red-head always made it to suit the occasion.  
  
"Oh, alright, Ron," she sighed. "Let's go see Harry, then stop by the library. I do believe you need to work on your Panpot Charm ..."  
  
He laughed. The Panpot Charm turned iron cooking utensils into gold, and five seconds later, back again with a bang -- a completely useless spell.  
  
Hand in hand, Ron and Hermione walked up to the hospital wing to see Harry.  
  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
  
An owl swooped into Sirius's cave, dropped a letter, and swooped out. He grabbed it and tore open the envelope with his teeth. Under the Hogwarts crest, a note read:  
  
"Dear Sirius,  
"I hope all goes well with you and Buckbeak. I am fine, though Fawkes has a small pimple ... I think the second week after rebirth is always the hardest ...  
"Harry still remains no worse, and also no better. Minerva McGonagal and I have created a contraptiony thingamabob and would like you to come to Hogwarts to sort out some details.  
  
Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus,  
Dumbledore."  
  
Sirius snorted. Buckbeak looked up from his rabbit carcass. Dumbledore wanted him to come to "sort out some details." The Azkaban escapee knew perfectly well that Dumbledore had the "contraptiony thingamabob" totally finished and ready for Harry's use. He just wanted Sirius to be there to see it, and for Harry's moral support. So five minutes later, a big, friendly black dog snuck under a trapdoor in the cellar of Honeydukes.  
  
Albus Dumbledore met Sirius in the Great Hall. Three Ravenclaw second years would wonder about their Headmaster's pet's sudden appearance and disappearance for a while, but no one else was present. In Dumbledore's office, Sirius saw that several of the portraits of past Headmasters looked rather irritated.  
  
"The haven't been getting much sleep. I've been working on this." He handed Harry's godfather what looked like just a jumble of steel rods and leather straps, but when straightened out, looked like they could hold a pair of legs. "They stretch to any size," Dumbledore went on. "They respond to your mind, like real legs. You can walk, sit, climb stairs or ladders, lie down -- they are very flexible, but not fast."  
  
"Well, still better than being paralyzed in the hospital wing. Could he grip a broomstick with these?"  
  
Silence. Sirius turned to look at Dumbledore. There was no happy twinkle in his eyes. "No," he said slowly. "Unless he gets a miracle, Harry will never fly again." 


	5. Denial

Chapter 5: Denial  
  
  
  
Harry walked slowly down the hall to Charms, with Ron and Hermione, his   
joints softly clicking. They were late again. All of Harry's teachers   
except Snape allowed for Harry's often tardiness, and all but Professor   
McGonagal forgave Ron and Hermione's lateness as well. In a painting   
of a medieval town, peasants giggled and pointed at Harry, but a priest   
shushed him.  
  
Not one of them could think of what to say. Harry had walked in on   
Ron and Hermione kissing the other day and he hadn't said much to them   
since.  
  
As they entered the classroom, Professor Flitwick was explaining the   
Assembling Charm, while handing out wooden blocks. "Make a figure   
eight very rapidly with your wand, and softly shout, 'Genecio'! Ah,   
hello, boys, and Hermione. Please take your seats. Seamus will   
explain this to you." He bustled off to help Neville, who had not   
failed to set himself on fire in the first five minutes of class.  
  
"Genecio!" Hermione softly shouted, and that it was possible to softly   
shout amazed Harry, and he worked all class trying to figure out how   
she did it. A perfect model of the Eiffel Tower stood before Hermione.   
Ron and Seamus fooled around all class, racing each other to build the   
tallest tower, then knocking them over, wands abandoned. Harry worked   
diligently and finally got his blocks to clump in a shapeless pile.  
  
As they strolled out of Charms and down the staircase to Potions, a red   
headed blur whooshed up it. It shot past them, rocketing up and up.   
Harry heard several screams and saw books dropping.  
  
Fred Weasley, panting heavily, jumped up the stairs after it, laughing.   
"Hi! George gave himself WingFeet and I've gotta catch him or Filch   
will have a fit. What's the counterjinx, Hermione?" and he   
disappeared.  
  
"Decelera!" she shouted.  
  
"Ron, why are they still here? What happened to Weasley's Wizard   
Wheezes?" asked Harry, looking ahead.  
  
"Oh -- like the food too much, I think. Didn't want to leave after   
your match against Ravenclaw. Yeah, that's right, Mum sent Ginny an   
owl, telling her to look after them. They're taking a Halloween   
vacation."  
  
Harry's lip trembled a little. He hated being reminded of that match,   
and flying even. "Need -- to use -- the bathroom," and limped off.  
  
"Ron!" "What did I say?"  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
Harry avoided them all day: he skipped Potions and sat far away from   
his friends in all of his other classes. He spent all evening in the   
library and kitchens, and got his breakfast to eat cold tomorrow   
morning. He wanted nothing to do with anybody. He shoved Colin   
Creevey to the ground when he "Hi, Harry"ed him for the seventh time,   
and ran off as fast as he could. For the next week, all the   
Gryffindors stopped talking and walked quickly when they heard the   
giveaway creaking. Finally Hermione decided to do something.  
  
"Ron, we've GOT to get Harry back. He's been moping for the past two   
weeks!"  
  
Ron wasn't too jubilant himself. He and Hermione had seemed to stop   
dating, and Harry had really started to annoy him. "Why? His problem,   
his life! What about you and me? It's always Harry, Harry, Harry!   
Ever since he was born!"  
  
Hermione slapped him. "You jerk! Harry's your best friend. Don't you   
care?" and stalked off.  
  
Ron sat and fumed. Then he sat and thought. Finally he dashed down   
the stairs, and found his girlfriend sitting in the common room,   
watching the fire. "Hermy, I'm sorry. You're right. And I do care.   
Let's find Harry, and talk to him, okay?"  
  
She started to cry a little. But then she gasped and left the   
fireside. When Ron cried out, "Where are you going?!" she was already   
out the portrait hole.  
  
"Hermione!"  
  
"Bill's wedding! It's *GASP* next Sunday! *GASP* Harry doesn't know, or   
he *GASP* forgot!" 


End file.
